A Drop in the Ocean
by mrsl488
Summary: Graduation Day brings more change then Caroline had planned on. Rated T for now, may change to M depending on Klaus and Caroline's decisions as this progresses.
1. Chapter 1

_A drop in the ocean, a change in the weather_

_I was praying that you and I might end up together_

_It's like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert, but I'm holding you_

_Closer than most, because you are my heaven_

Caroline sat alone in the bleachers, graduation over and the class of 2011 already just another class of Timberwolves for the record books. The notes of Pomp and Circumstance had faded with the gentle spring breeze. The stadium, once filled with capacity crowds to watch football games while she, Bonnie and Elena cheered on the sidelines, had mostly cleared out. Families and graduates had smiled for their last pictures with friends wrapped in each other's arms, graduation gowns unzipped as they grinned and laughed at mom taking "just one last picture."

Red carnations were scattered here and there amongst the chairs on the field. Each graduate had been given one along with their diploma. A few had shared theirs with a boyfriend or girlfriend, but most had held on to theirs, then rushed their parents after the cap toss, handing over their carnation as a small sign of gratitude for supporting them through it all. Caroline laughed briefly, thinking she would have needed at least two dozen to give her mom as a token "for supporting her through it all."

Instead, Caroline's was still in her hand, wilted from being crushed during hugs with classmates and photos that would never make it into her scrapbook. She'd held onto hers to give to her mom, but Sheriff Forbes had been called away almost immediately after the ceremony, rushing out with a quick glance of apology at Caroline. She hadn't been the only one to rush out. Caroline watched Elena leave quickly, with Stefan, a look of horror on her face and Bonnie left before graduation speeches had even started. Caroline had moved to follow, but stayed behind for Matt, who couldn't have looked more alone and lost, no family present to help him mark this milestone.

Caroline had sent an announcement to Mrs. Donovan, but never heard a word in response. Hell, she didn't even know if the address she'd copied from Matt's address book when he wasn't looking was even his mom's most current one. Caroline had overheard a few of Matt's teammates ask about his mom before the ceremony, but Matt had shrugged off the inquiries, mumbling about her having to work and not being able to get away. Caroline was pretty sure Matt hadn't talked to his mom in months.

As Caroline continued to sit there all alone, she couldn't help but think of Elena's words just a few days ago, telling her how pathetic she was to be excited about high school graduation. She spent so much time ordering cap and gowns, writing her valedictorian speech, sending out announcements, signing yearbooks, thinking that this would all mean something. Instead, she sat here alone, feeling incredibly empty. Her father was dead, her friends were scattered to the winds, her boyfriend was on the run from the man who, everyday, was meaning more and more to her, and she was destined to be 17 forever, stuck in a filler year.

She was pathetic.

"Why so sad, love?"

Startled, Caroline looked up to see Klaus standing there, a graduation cap in his hand. She hadn't even heard him approach, though that wasn't really all that surprising, but there he stood, incredibly handsome in what was, no doubt, a designer suit.

"Klaus, oh my God," she stood and moved towards him, for once acknowledging the joy in her heart at seeing him. She was tempted to hug him, but sensed a distance in him that was in direct contradiction to her happiness at seeing him.

"Congratulations, Caroline," he replied, a poignant smile not quite reaching his eyes, "I heard your speech, exactly what I would expect from Miss Mystic Falls."

"Former Miss Mystic Falls," she smiled back with a touch of sadness in her voice, "I'm just one of many now." She knew that there was more than just a touch of bitterness to her words, but the day's events, already emotionally overwhelming, had pushed her close to the edge.

"Surely you'll never be just one of many, no doubt Caroline Forbes will be remembered as _The_ Miss Mystic Falls, and the queen all others will aspire to."

Despite her heartache, Caroline giggled at his words. "Now you're just being charming."

"Perhaps, but I am capable of doing so every once and a while." He offered her his arm, "May I escort you from the stadium?"

Taking his arm, the two of them headed toward the parking lot.

"I thought you were gone for good," she started, "Rebekah mentioned you were starting over in New Orleans."

He looked startled for a moment, but when she didn't say anything else, his expression eased. Yet, he neither confirmed nor denied whether Rebekah was telling the truth or not.

"I got your message, by the way, New Orleans sounds amazing," she continued when the silence became awkward. Still he said nothing. Caroline stopped walking; her feet firmly planted on the 50 yard line and looked at Klaus.

"Klaus, what is it?" she asked, "Seriously, you're freaking me out just a little!"

He ran a hand down his face, looked down at the grass, then back up at her. Caroline's anxiety pitched, which was ridiculous, because unless someone had died—.

"Oh my God, Tyler's dead, isn't he?" she cried, her hand falling from his arm, "Is that what you came here to tell me?" Caroline felt the bile rise in her stomach, knowing that she was getting ready to throw up all over new shoes.

For a moment, Klaus looked at her with confusion written all over his face.

"Tyler?"

"Klaus, did you kill him?"

"What? No, I haven't seen the pup since your prom night. Whatever are you talking about Caroline?" The look of distraction on his face did nothing to ease her anxiety, despite his words.

"Then what is the matter with you?" she demanded. "You're acting all weird; I've never seen you so flustered!"

He looked back at her, regret filling his eyes, so much so that Caroline felt tears fill her own. Something had happened, something that she sensed was going to change their _friendship_, the pain of it was written all over his face.

As if he were unable to look at her as he spoke, Klaus turned away, his head hanging, and speaking so quietly that only her enhanced hearing could pick it up, she heard him say, "I'm going to be a father."

* * *

**There it is. Next chapter will be Klaus's POV with Caroline's reaction to his declaration. It's almost impossible for me to imagine how this conversation is going to go without it being completely heartbreaking, so expect a little of that from chapter 2. I do think these events (as ridiculous as they appear to be to many) will result in amazing character development for both characters and possible an ending believable for them down the road. Please leave a review and let me know what you think! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the delay, last week wasn't my best. This chapter is Klaus' POV as he leads up to his reveal. As I started this prior to last week's episode, I've decided to concentrate on our hero and heroine and gloss over (at best) everything else going on in Mystic Falls. Oh, the beauty of fan fiction! Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter Two

_I don't wanna waste the weekend, _

_If you don't love me, pretend, _

_A few more hours, then it's time to go_

Klaus made his way to the top of the crowded bleachers and as he climbed, he couldn't help but admire the capacity crowd that had arrived for Mystic Falls High School Class of 2011's graduation. In a thousand years, he'd never ceased to be amazed at how the mundane excited the masses.

Yet, he found himself strangely jealous. Never in that thousand years had family and friends gathered to celebrate any milestone of his, unless one counted Mikael's rejoicing at any tragedy befallen him. He'd had paintings displayed in world renowned art museums, climbed to the top of Mount Everest, built the city of New Orleans up from swamp land to the haven of art, music, food and magic it is today, but never once had his family celebrated his successes. Admittedly, Finn had been in a coffin for almost a thousand years, so he couldn't blame him, but still it hurt to think of the emptiness of his accomplishments when no one he cared for had been present to pat him on the back with a hearty "well done".

Klaus was surprised by the sensation of goose bumps traveling down his body as he came to the startling realization that 19 years from now he would be one of the mundane. He scoffed at the thought of jostling through the crowds, protecting his video camera as he attempted to find the best seat to watch his child graduate high school. He found this as unlikely an occurrence as he did the idea of his participating in Marcel's nightly orgies of blood and sex in the allies of the French Quarter. But yet, one thing he knew deep down was that no child of his would ever be made to feel insignificant by him and so, if need be, he'd do what was necessary to make sure his child knew that he cared even if it meant jostling through crowds of humans he'd rather have for dinner.

As he heard Caroline's name announced over the loud speaker, he was pulled from his reverie. As he watched her approach the podium, he couldn't help but notice that, even at this distance, the light that constantly flowed from her was burning brightly. It came as no surprise to him whatsoever that this amazing young woman would stand a step above her classmates academically. He smiled thinking of her Miss Mystic Falls application and how they had laughed as he read it aloud to her. Despite the immaturity of the wording on the application, her accomplishments had stood out, once again putting her contemporaries to shame. Now, as she scanned the faces amongst her classmates, he could sense the confidence which had increased since she'd written those words a year ago and it radiated from within her.

As she spoke of days gone by, a clear melancholy lacing her words, he tried to remember what it meant to be the age of these young students. The days of his youth had been filled with an overlying sense of life or death. Eating depended on what they could grow or kill; safety depended on how well they protected themselves during the full moon. Klaus felt his own melancholy rise up as thoughts of Henrick skipped through his mind, but he refused to dwell. Ironically, his parents, in trying to relieve the danger that existed in their lives, had, instead, exposed his siblings and himself to a millennium of danger, much of it from their own father. Klaus knew that to a certain degree he had inherited his parents' impulsiveness and enough exposure to Mikael's temper had left him with a bad one of his own, but he had also had centuries to learn not to make the same mistake with his own child.

The crowd cheered and Klaus tuned back in to Caroline's voice. Her dulcet tones were now elevated, her voice laced with an attitude he was quite familiar with. She was leading her classmates to that place of hope and belief that life could be and would be better. She spoke with a no holds' barred enthusiasm, challenging even one of the other graduates to dare contradict her certainty that the best was yet to come.

It was this very quality, this aspect of Caroline's personality that made the difference for him. Yes, he was drawn to her beauty and light. He was fascinated by the lovely young woman who had challenged him from her death bed, breaking through a wall he didn't even know he had up. But it was this confidence that life would only get better, the assurance in her voice that an individual could become more than what they had been or what they had done that broke through his heart.

He grinned, thinking back to just a week ago, the day of Caroline's prom. He'd been angry, scared, desolate, and enraged that his siblings were condemning him to a life of torture from Silas. Caroline had barged in loud and demanding, looking to him, no insisting that he save her. He'd stood there dumbfounded at first, not believing that this girl was bothering him with such trivial nonsense, but she'd been so bloody earnest that he'd laughed, one of the purest laughs of his life. He couldn't help but marvel how this young woman had barged into his house and his heart and made him forget his misery.

They'd spent the next couple of hours, rifling through his "creepy trophy case", looking for the perfect dress. He'd regaled her with the stories behind some of the more outrageous items and he'd made her laugh, the sound so pure and unaffected. He wanted nothing more at that moment then to insist he be her escort to the dance, the thought of her on his arm enticing. But, as he noticed happening more and more with her, he put her first, keeping his desires to himself. Though he sensed she might actually welcome his presence, he also knew that ultimately she would reject his offer because, let's face it, his attendance at this definitive high school moment for her and her friends would incur their wrath and ruin it for her. So unlike his dealings with both Rebekah and Elijah earlier, he'd put Caroline first.

Drawing his attention back to the graduation activities, Klaus listened as Caroline wrapped up her speech, encouraging her classmates to always plan ahead, be prepared and never back down from a challenge. Diplomas were next, seeming to take forever to hand out. Klaus noticed that the witch didn't cross the stage for her diploma and that both Stefan and Elena quickly left the stadium after receiving theirs. No doubt something else was afoot as seemed to be the case with this group of supernatural creatures. Klaus shook his head, thinking of the years he lived in peace in New Orleans, months going by without incident.

Not a moment too soon, the graduates had tossed their caps into the air. Klaus remained atop his perch, watching as the once organized crowd dispersed into a frenzy of embraces and picture taking. He found Caroline in the middle of it all, but, if the look on her face said anything, it was that she was just going through the motions. Not a single person passed up the opportunity to have her in the middle of their photograph, but not once did he see Sheriff Forbes or any of Caroline's other friends stage a photo just for her. He felt some remorse thinking of the absence of Tyler, even a twinge for Mayor Lockwood or Jenna Summers, but he felt it only at Caroline's behest. She would have enjoyed their attendance here today.

Soon enough Caroline was left to her own devices. He'd had every intention of following her from the high school to her next location, but instead, as the stadium emptied out, she took a seat on the bottom bleacher. Graduation gown unzipped, she settled on the bleacher, her spot almost a direct line to where he stood fifteen rows up. His brow furrowed, he watched as her face fell, the hundreds of smiles from earlier a thing of the past. In her hand, she held the red carnation she'd received with her diploma. He'd watched as many of her classmates had shared theirs with family members and significant others, but she'd kept hers, which was now wilted and bent, the victim of the day's activities.

His heart broke at the sadness radiating from her and anger at himself rose unexpectedly as he considered that he was going to add to her heartache. No one here in Mystic Falls knew yet of his impending fatherhood except Rebekah, and she'd been sworn to secrecy for a variety of reasons, one being that the longer Marcel was kept in the dark, the better. He'd had his own personal reasons, one of which was sitting below him on the bleachers. Their relationship had changed in the last few months and it was fragile at best. He had no idea how she'd react to his news, but he would be the one to tell her all the while knowing she'd keep his secret.

She rose as he approached her, clearly happy to see him. He was surprised at her reaction, but would take a smile from her in any form, though he noticed that the sadness didn't quite leave her face.

After exchanging pleasantries, he offered his arm and they started walking from the stadium out to the parking lot. He was procrastinating the reveal of his secret, but he wasn't quite sure what the correct venue was, if there were such a thing. Should he tell her right now? Perhaps take her to the Grille for a celebration lunch with a side of "by the way, love, I'm going to be a dad"?

"I thought you were gone for good," she said pleasantly, tearing him from his thoughts, "Rebekah mentioned you were starting over in New Orleans."

She was talking with Rebekah? He looked over at her, studying her expression for any sign that she knew something more. He didn't think so.

"I got your message, by the way, New Orleans sounds amazing," she continued when the silence became awkward.

If their discussion was moving toward New Orleans, he didn't think he'd be able to avoid telling her for long. Despite everything going on with Marcel, the witches and Hayley, he had been anxious to speak with Caroline about this. She was his friend, and more so, the woman he loved. He was experiencing a range of emotions in regards to his child, from fear to excitement and there was only one person he wanted to share all of it with. Caroline.

Caroline stopped short, once again interrupting his thoughts.

"Klaus, what is it?" she asked, "Seriously, you're freaking me out just a little!"

Running a hand down his face, Klaus turned to look at her. Where she had relaxed in his company as they'd walked toward the parking lot, he could see that she had now tensed up, no doubt sensing the strain in him. Knowing her, it was only a matter of time that she demanded an explanation for his silence and uneasiness. Just as he worked up his nerve to say something, he watched her face fill with horror.

"Oh my God, Tyler's dead, isn't he?" she cried, her hand falling from his arm, "Is that what you came here to tell me?"

He looked at her, confusion masking his face.

"Tyler?" He asked, bewildered. Caroline continued to look at him with a mixture of horror and fear written on her face.

"Klaus, did you kill him?" She repeated.

Her words finally penetrated his befuddled brain.

"What? No, I haven't seen the pup since your prom night. Whatever are you talking about Caroline?"

"Then what is the matter with you?" she demanded. "You're acting all weird; I've never seen you so flustered!"

He looked back at her, regret filling his eyes, and as he did so, he watched Caroline's fill with tears. She had to know something important had happened, he was incredibly out of sorts and she would sense his unease as she knew him better than anyone. Already, this child he was father to was wreaking havoc within his life. His faced filled with pain as he prepared to say the words he knew would have lasting consequences on their tentative friendship, the most important of his life.

Klaus turned away, his head hanging, and quietly he whispered the words he'd said aloud to no one other than Elijah.

"I'm going to be a father."

* * *

**Okay, now before you get the lynching mob ready for this ending on the same note as last chapter understand that it was important to the story to set up Klaus' POV prior to his big reveal. I hope that you enjoyed hearing what was going on in his head and having a better idea of how worried he is about Caroline, and to a certain degree himself. Next chapter will definitely be the conversation between them following his reveal. Stick with me and leave a review letting me know whether you hate it or not! MrsL**


	3. Chapter 3

**First, I wanted to thank everyone that's reviewed, favorited and followed this story! I haven't had a chance to respond to my reviewers, which I always try to do and will get around to, but I did want to let you know that your efforts have not gone unnoticed.**

**Second, I apologize for not updating sooner. Caroline and Klaus have given me complete fits with the beginning of their discussion...and yes, this is just the beginning. My intent is for this story not to be just Caroline's reaction to Klaus' life-changing circumstances. There is so much here for both of them in terms of growth and I plan to do my best to convey that through this story. So, I ask you not to get too impatient if things don't happen as quickly as you think they should. Personally, I think K & C deserve to have their story fleshed out, unlike the development we didn't get within the show.**

**Thirdly, my son is graduating from college next week, followed by a big family celebration. Updates may be sporadic for awhile, but I will be updating when I can, even if its just little bits like what I've got here today.**

**I hope you enjoy Chapter 3.**

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_As my train rolls down the east coast_

_I wonder how you keep warm,_

_It's too late to cry, too broken to move on_

It had been a long day for Caroline, one she had anticipated since leaving middle school. Other than her Senior Prom and her wedding day, there wasn't another day she'd anticipated more. The fact that it had been over so quickly, the important people in her life absent for most of it, had left her heart just a bit broken. When she looked up and saw Klaus approaching, her heart had jumped with joy for the first time since hearing her name called to receive her diploma. When he'd offered his arm on their way out of the stadium, she'd gifted him with her first sincere smile of the day and happily taken it.

But then she'd mentioned New Orleans and he had started acting weird, freaking her out just a bit, which led her to start babbling about Tyler. But that was nothing compared to how she felt right now, hearing him whisper the most unlikely words she'd ever thought to hear him say.

Still facing away from her, she couldn't help but notice the tension running through him. In addition to his head hanging down around his chest, which was the least likely Alpha wolf posture ever, his shoulders were up around his ears, fists were at his sides, clenched hard enough to break a bone or two. The charming man from 5 minutes ago had been eaten up by those six strange words he whispered.

"I'm going to be a father."

"Klaus," she started and she would've sworn he actually flinched when he heard his name, "what are you talking about?"

As he turned to face her, Caroline was startled by the expression on his face. Gone was the compelling man from minutes ago who'd offered up his arm to walk her through the grassy plains of the stadium. Even the sort of befuddled look he'd worn when she started whining about Tyler was gone. In its place, was a combination of regret, fear and resignation.

"Caroline, sweetheart, I do apologize for blurting out my last statement," he started, while running a hand down his face. He looked up at her from under hooded eyelids, though he made sure to keep eye contact despite his obvious discomfort. "Perhaps this isn't the best place for this conversation," his hands swept in a circle, indicating the stadium. "Come home with me so where we can continue this in a more appropriate setting"

"Klaus, I –"

Cutting her off, he continued, "Of course, you probably have an evening's worth of activities planned with your family and friends –"

"No, actually I don't," she shot back quickly, interrupting him. "My mom's working and everyone else seems to have run off to save the world while I was graduating." Caroline finished, choking back a sob.

Klaus stepped towards her, taking her hand in his. She looked down at their joined hands, and to her surprise she didn't pull away. As they stood there, his thumb moved across her hand, and the caress, probably meant to be comforting, had the opposite effect as chills ran up and down her arm.

Her eyes still on their joined hands, she quietly continued, "I've waited forever for this day, God, Bonnie, Elena and I would play graduation with empty paper towel rolls as our diplomas!" She smiled tentatively up at him, noticing his face had softened, "But, with all the build up, it was over just like that."

He smiled back at her, "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, love, but life is made up of events just like this. If I've learned one thing over my many years is that it's what happens following these big events that's important, not the event itself. Plus, these big life moments are severely overrated and usually end up costing much more money than they're worth to celebrate."

Caroline laughed at his words, Klaus' face brightening in response. She wasn't sure who initiated it, but she found their fingers intertwined, hands moving together as she took a step closer to him. "I'm starting to learn how overrated big life events could be, just look at prom and I've got this huge wedding planned in my head, but now I'm thinking of just going the Justice of the Peace route. Thank goodness I can't have children," she watched as his face paled, "—oh my God, Klaus, why did you let me go on about graduation and everything?"

His face stricken once again, he pulled her with him towards the parking lot, "Let's talk at my home, shall we?"

* * *

**Please let me know your thoughts on how this is developing. As I mentioned above, I want this to be more than just about a surprise baby. There are big changes coming for both characters and I want to see how they face them together. I hope you do to.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you all for your support and reviews and favorites and follows. I can't tell you how much it means to me. As I mentioned before, I truly mean to sit down and answer every review, but unfortunately real life has been challenging (though I'm celebrating the graduation of my son this week, so yay!). Special thanks to ****_latbfan_**** for all of her support during this trying time.**

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_…__and still I can't let you be, most nights I hardly sleep, _

_don't take what you don't need from me_

Klaus said very little on the drive to his house. Caroline, in typical Caroline fashion, attempted to fill the silence, speaking of everything but the one thing neither of them could stop thinking about. She questioned him about Silas, whether he'd had anymore run-ins with the 'ancient-immortal-vampire-witch-whatever-the-hell- he-was' as she casually referred to the man who could single-handedly wipe them all out. He couldn't help but smirk at her lack of respect, but then almost broke the steering wheel in half with fury when she told him about her encounter with the ancient, including how her mother almost died.

"Honestly Caroline, you call me frantically to come and save Damon, barge into my house hysterically about a prom dress, but don't think to use a few friends and family minutes to call me about that?"

She said nothing for a moment, but then said quietly, "You left without a goodbye followed by a pity voice mail about seeing New Orleans. Then you went off the radar. Honestly, I thought you'd decided you were over me."

Klaus pointedly kept his eyes on the road, avoiding Caroline's. "I'll never be over you Caroline. You're a smart girl, love; I would think that would be obvious to you."

He caught her startled expression out of the corner of his eye, but for once, Caroline Forbes was speechless. They continued the rest of the drive to the house in silence.

* * *

Klaus held the door open for Caroline as they entered the large foyer of the Mikaelson Manor. Klaus watched, eyebrow cocked, as Caroline slipped off her heels, leaving them by the front door.

"What? They echo on the marble, it's kind of creepy. Plus, my feet are killing me," she finished with a groan. Klaus couldn't hide his delight, thrilled that she seemed so comfortable in his home.

He led her through the house, avoiding his art studio as it seemed the least appropriate setting for their discussion. He finally settled on the den as the most comfortable place for their conversation. He directed her to one of the two leather sofas, where Caroline immediately sat, pulling her feet up under her legs as she got comfortable. Pleased, Klaus strode over to the bar to pour them both a drink. Scotch for him, a rum and coke for Caroline.

He could tell Caroline was taken aback when he chose to sit across from her on the other sofa instead of next to her. Considering how in the past he took every opportunity to occupy her space, he understood her surprise. But, there was something about what he was getting ready to tell her that spoke to physical separation.

Caroline wasted no time.

"So…did you buy an orphanage? Adopt a baby from Africa?"

Caught off guard by her bluntness, Klaus placed his scotch glass on the mahogany table between the sofas as he attempted to keep his composure. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You said you were going to be a father. I'm just throwing out some reasonable possibilities."

She looked at him intently, waiting for him to clue in to what she was saying. As he did he just barely contained the laugh that threatened to escape as he considered how the discussion with an adoption agency would go, but reined it in quickly with a glare from Caroline. As he scratched at a non-existent itch to cover his smile, it occurred to him that despite her rather lackluster reaction towards his impending fatherhood, she may, in fact, be a bit more troubled than he realized.

"Caroline-"he started, a hand running through his hair.

"Klaus, I'm seriously hoping that you're going to be to the point here and not waste our time with lots of nonsense. It's already been a pretty long, mostly crappy day. Right now you're my last friend who hasn't pulled some kind of bullshit on me, so don't start now."

He covered up the thrill he felt at hearing Caroline refer to him as her friend while considering where to start. He felt the beginning, with Hayley, was probably not the best place, as that would probably result in Caroline slapping him and leaving.

"A few weeks ago," he started, "Katerina left me a letter indicating that there was a witch in New Orleans that was a threat to me, so much so, that she felt that I would be so consumed by this witch, Jane Anne Deveraux, that I would lose any interest in tracking her down after 500 years."

"And you believed her?" Caroline scoffed.

"It does seem unlikely, doesn't it?" he answered, agreeing with her, "but here's the thing, Katerina has spent considerable time recently in New Orleans and she is well aware that New Orleans was once my home. I could very easily disprove what she was saying with any of my considerable contacts in the city, so why bother going to the trouble to write the letter?"

"No offense, Klaus, but Katherine is also very aware of your astonishing level of paranoia." He glared at her, wondering if the day would ever come in which he wouldn't be astonished at her lack of fear when she spoke to him. Very few people could say what she did and live to tell about it. She glared back at him, and they sat that way for a moment, until he finally looked down, but not before he caught her quick smirk of victory.

"I may be paranoid, sweetheart," he replied, frustration held at bay, "but I also have a thousand years of experience in determining whether I'm being played or not." He looked at her pointedly and she nodded, conceding his point.

"After reading the letter, I felt that a short trip to New Orleans was in order," he said, not mentioning that the sight of her dancing with Tyler the night of the prom hurt enough for him to put some distance between them.

"After arriving I ran into some trouble with an old protégée of mine, Marcel, which is another story entirely, but unfortunately, he also killed the witch."

"I'm assuming Marcel is no longer among the living?" Caroline asked cynically.

"No, unfortunately, I had to leave him be for the moment," Caroline raised an eyebrow at this, but Klaus just shrugged his shoulders as if to say, 'next time'.

"Lucky for me, Ms. Deveraux has a sister, Sophie, who I was able to track down. Regrettably, she didn't feel comfortable sharing information, and before you ask, yes, she is also still among the living. Clearly you're starting to have an adverse affect on me." Klaus smiled affectionately at her. Caroline grinned back clearly pleased.

"That's when Elijah showed up."

"Wait, your brother followed you to New Orleans? Tell me he doesn't have anything to do with the witches and what they're up to?" Caroline's voice betrayed her concern that Klaus was facing treachery from a family member once again. Pleasure ran through him at her concern, though as he considered where the conversation was going he somehow doubted concern would be at the top of her list. His grin faded as he continued his story.

"No, Elijah actually followed me down to Louisiana, though I don't know if initially it was to help me or my enemies. In the end, we reconciled our differences, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

"Elijah was actually able to get Sophie Deveraux to spill her secrets as he's always been the more charming of the Mikaelson brothers," Klaus continued as he stood and walked over to the bar to fix a couple of more drinks. Caroline gratefully accepted hers and watched as Klaus sat back down across from her.

"So," she asked, "what did they want with you?"

"Well, it appears that this fellow Marcel has some sort of hold over the other supernatural creatures in the city to include preventing the witches from practicing magic. The Deveraux witches felt that I could help them."

Klaus watched as Caroline dissolved into a fit of giggles.

"I'm lost at what's so funny?" he asked, bemused.

Attempting to control herself, Caroline began, "The witches thought," she took a deep breath, a snort escaping as she tried again, "they were looking for you because they thought you would help-help-help them?" Once again she dissolved into laughter.

Eyebrows raised, his 'I'm considering losing my patience' look on his face, Klaus waited for Caroline to gain control of her laughter. While he wouldn't admit it to her, he could see the humor in his statement from where she was sitting.

"Are you quite done?"

Caroline pursed her lips and took a deep breath, "Yes, I'm sorry," her breath caught once more, "please continue."

"As I was saying, the witches wanted my help to gain the upper hand with Marcel. Honestly, while I didn't have quite the reaction you just displayed here, I was quite amused at her suggestion. But then…" he trailed off, knowing he was now approaching the moment of truth with Caroline.

In all honestly, he wasn't sure exactly what to expect from her. He knew that she despised Hayley for setting up Tyler. He also knew there was a possibility that despite her continual denials, she may truly have feelings for him. He'd certainly toyed with enough women over the years to recognize the signs. The fact was that just as Caroline was opening up to the possibilities of a relationship between them, his life took one huge, unexpected turn, which, of course, just proved that he was damned. Part of him wished he could just keep this secret and split his time between Mystic Falls and New Orleans. He knew this wasn't a possibility because when Caroline found out, and he had no doubt she would, their relationship would be over and no amount of time would fix it.

So, he would lay it all out now and hope that their tentative relationship would survive. Of course, she could just wish him well and offer to throw a baby shower.

"…then, Sophie revealed something so extraordinary, that I had no choice but to listen to her proposal."

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**I had fun with this chapter, I love writing the two of them just talking because they have so much chemistry. Reviews are always welcome, especially right now!**


	5. Chapter 5

_*__A couple of author's notes:_

_1. I continue to be blown away by all of you, taking your time to read this and review, favorite and follow. You all are awesome._

_2. Many of you have voiced your frustration with how long it is taking for Caroline to find out that it's Hayley carrying Klaus's baby. I completely understand your frustration. I always felt that Caroline and Klaus were rushed on the show, and certainly, we were never given much more than a bone to chew on in terms of their relationship. I'm sure that some of your frustration stems from just wanting them to have this confrontation, which they didn't get on the show. I hated how the possibility of a relationship between them was constantly dangled before us and want __A Drop in the Ocean__ to be more than that. My intent for this story is for Caroline and Klaus to get the time to be together, exploring their feelings for each other and for the things happening around them. If I rushed to Klaus just blurting out he slept with Hayley, for me it wouldn't be any better than what we got on Thursday nights. I hope that this story is interesting enough for you to stick it out and give our couple the time they deserve to confront each other about what's happening.*_

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"…then, Sophie revealed something so extraordinary, that I had no choice but to listen to her proposal."

It surprised Caroline to hear Klaus refer to anything as extraordinary. When one lives for a thousand years, you'd expect they'd seen and done everything. It was one of the things about immortality that truly intrigued her, to know that anything was possible because she could live forever. Having been born and raised in the same small town, she couldn't even imagine all that there was to experience. So, if Klaus hadn't encountered it in his thousand years, it must really be extraordinary.

"So, what could a thousand year old find extraordinary?" She asked, voicing her thoughts.

A pained look crossed Klaus's face as he stood up. For a moment she thought he was moving to sit next to her, but instead he walked to the fireplace, leaning back against it, arms crossed.

"I listened to her proposal because she revealed something about me that I didn't already know, which as you can imagine is fairly unlikely."

"What could she possibly know about you?" Caroline questioned as she turned to look at him, "Didn't you surround yourself with witches forever when you were trying to break the curse? Surely they would have come across whatever this is and told you about it. Elena told me how much that witch Greta was into you; certainly she would have said something."

Caroline ignored the brief sensation of jealousy that went through her at the thought of Klaus with the devoted Greta.

"Plus, if it was so extraordinary that some witch in New Orleans could figure it out and use it against you, surely your mother would have known and used it against you, wouldn't she?"

"Actually," Klaus said, surprise in his voice, "I hadn't even considered my mother in this. But, truth be told, this is definitely something she would not have wanted me to be aware of. No doubt she went to great lengths to make sure I didn't find out about it"

Caroline considered for a moment what a witch, or anyone for that matter, might use as leverage on the most powerful being on the planet, yet the last place contestant for mother of the year would refuse to do the same. Caroline walked over to stand in front of Klaus, arms crossed, mimicking his stance.

"I think you need to just tell me, Klaus." She demanded.

He stared at her intently, obviously considering his next words. Caroline returned his stare, frustrated with his uncharacteristic hesitation, "Klaus! Just get to the point."

"Fine." He said, his tone curt, "When I broke the curse, it, of course, triggered my werewolf side, which was my original-," he stopped there, taking in an unnecessary deep breath, pushed off from where he was leaning against the fireplace, his arms uncrossing as they fell to his side. He stepped closer to Caroline, his breath whispering across her cheek.

"Once the curse was lifted, though I remained a vampire, according to the Deveraux witch my body returned to its original form, that of a werewolf, creating what the witches referred to as one of 'nature's loopholes'."

Caroline's brow furrowed, attempting to make sense of what he said while trying to avoid the effect his nearness was having on her. He was close enough for her to see the fear in his blue eyes and she couldn't deny how drawn she was to him.

Meanwhile, a million questions ran through her mind. If his body had returned to its original state, what was there about being a werewolf that the witches could use to manipulate him? Did it mean he could be killed? She didn't think so, certainly he would've died after Alaric had staked him or after Stefan had desiccated him. She'd seen him in his vampire state and knew he still needed blood to live, so that wasn't it. His mother didn't want him to know about it which means whatever this was would probably make him more powerful. So what about his werewolf state could be this important?

Then she remembered what Klaus had said at the stadium that had led them to this conversation in the first place.

"Oh my God, you can father a child?" Caroline blurted out and watched as Klaus lost all color in his already pale face. He nodded as he looked down, fists clenched at his sides.

Caroline stumbled back to the sofa, needing to put some distance between them. She landed on the arm of the sofa as she looked up at him.

"Klaus how is this even possible?" Though he looked down at her through hooded eyes, he said nothing. Her frustration increasing at his refusal to answer her, she considered all the possibilities this presented. Caroline thought of all the little hybrids he could create, the need for a Petrova doppelganger a thing of the past. He could truly have his hybrid family, which of course would require someone to actually carry all these little hybrids for nine months.

She stood again, "Wait a minute," she said as her voice filled with horror, "you said you were _going to be a father_, not that you could be." Caroline looked at him in shock, "Oh, God, you've already gotten someone pregnant, haven't you?"

He looked up sharply and as Caroline met his eyes, hers filled with tears. In that moment, as she saw his acknowledgment of the truth, all the things that he'd promised flashed before her, the music, the art, all of it, wavered before her eyes and went up in a puff of smoke. When and if she was ever ready to be with him, it wouldn't matter, because as a vampire, she would never be enough for him, her body incapable of conceiving or carrying a child.

"I have to go," she said tearfully, quickly moving to the door. He was there before she could move through, blocking her exit.

"Caroline, please," he pleaded, his voice gruff with emotion, "let me explain before you run off."

A tear slipped down her cheek as she looked up at the shattered expression on his face. "What is there to explain? The witches have given you the one thing you've always wanted above everything, the chance to create your hybrid family. I'm happy for you, but don't see how this concerns me at all." Her last words were laced with an ache she refused to acknowledge.

"You're wrong. One, a hybrid family is no longer the one thing I want above everything," he looked hard into her eyes, his feelings for her exposed like an open wound. Caroline gasped at the intensity she saw there. "Two, the child that now exists was not intended, it's the result of a drunken one night stand.

"Please," begged the most powerful creature on the planet to the one woman who could bring him to his knees, "please, Caroline, sit down and let me explain everything."

She stood there for a moment, looking into his eyes, floored by the pleading she saw in them. When she could no longer stand to see him so ragged, Caroline slowly returned to the sofa, though this time she kept both feet on the floor, her hands clasped in her lap. As she watched Klaus pour himself a third scotch and down it in one gulp, pain gripped her heart as she waited for him to fill in the details to this impossibly insane tale.

She also questioned why she was so devastated by the thought of him having a child with another woman. He wasn't her boyfriend, hell, they were just barely friends. Tyler was on the run, never to return, thanks to Klaus's desire to hunt him down and kill him. So, why did she feel this huge, gaping hole in her heart that had nothing to do with Tyler and everything to do with Klaus?

No, what she should be feeling is how lucky it was that he now had something else to obsess over instead of trying to win her affections. Surely once his child was born, he'd be too involved with it to give her a single thought. She shook her head thinking of what sort of life this child would have. Klaus's list of enemies was as long as Main Street in Mystic Falls, so when he wasn't cooing over baby Mikaelson, he'd be up to his canines figuring out ways to protect the little one. Regardless of what he said, the moment this child was born he'd forget all about her. Caroline's hand went to her chest, the pain of Klaus out of her life for good hurting more than she thought possible.

Caroline was torn from her thoughts by the rattling of glass over towards the bar. She watched in fascination as Klaus downed yet another tumbler of scotch. He looked over at her, fortified by the alcohol and said the very last thing she would have ever expected.

"Hayley is the mother of my child."

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_I apologize if this seems a tad short. I've spent a week between my son's graduation and flying back and forth between Colorado reworking this chapter over and over. Again, I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the favorites and follows, plus those of you that have taken the time to review. Please, if you would, take a moment and let me know what you like (or dislike) about this story! Thanks again for reading._


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